Page 15 of Summer Fling (The Kingston Brothers #5)

Chapter Ten

Blake

O n Monday, Dalton got Lilliana up early to take her to Oakley's before work.

After Dalton handed Lilliana to her mother, he told her that he was dating me.

He said she was upset, but he refused to tell me exactly what she said.

I could only imagine how nasty she could be when she thought someone else had what she wanted.

The rest of the week, I watched Henry in the afternoons for Ivy so she could work.

In the mornings, I painted, and in the evenings, Dalton built the shelf for the playroom.

He'd decided to make one long ledge so we could rest the canvases on them.

On the other side of the room, I suggested a string with clips where he could hang her other artwork that she'd bring home from preschool when she was old enough to go.

When he finished the ledge, I set the canvases on them, admiring how they brightened the room.

Dalton clapped his hands. "Now that that's done, we're going out to dinner."

It was Friday, and somehow the subject of us going out as a couple hadn't come up. We'd both been busy between work and building the shelf. I'd even done research on options for teaching art classes.

Tonight, I had to go out to dinner with Dalton and pretend to be attracted to him. That part wouldn't be hard. I was more worried about how the situation might mess with my head. What if I thought it was real?

I was worried that I'd be the only one having an issue with this arrangement. "Where do you want to go?"

"Let's do Trader's."

It was a date place. I'd spent enough time on the island to know that.

I went to my room and changed into a longer maxi dress and sandals.

I tamed my ever-present curls with a styling cream and swiped mascara on my lashes.

I didn't like to wear too much makeup at the beach. I preferred the natural look.

Satisfied, I headed into the living room where Dalton was already waiting. He wore black dress slacks, shoes, and a blue button-down that had me swallowing hard. He was handsome.

He lifted his gaze from his phone and stood. "You look beautiful."

"So do you." When his lips twitched, I realized what I'd said. "I mean you look handsome."

He raised a brow. "Are you ready for our date?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." I was nervous as if this was a real first date, which was ridiculous. This was supposed to be an acting job. I wasn't actually going on a date with Dalton Kingston, one of the most eligible bachelors on the island.

In the cab of his truck, I asked, "Have you heard from Oakley?"

His jaw tightened. "When I dropped off Lilliana, I suggested an every-other-week situation."

I turned slightly in my seat so I could see him easier. "That's a good solution. Equal time for both of you. What did she say?"

"When I left, I told her I'd pick Lilliana up on Sunday night and followed up with a text. She didn't respond, so I sent Ashton an email."

"What do you think will happen?"

"I'm not sure. I don't have any legal right to demand her back, but my attorney wants me to establish a pattern of behavior to show when Oakley isn't cooperative. I'm supposed to be reasonable, so her behavior looks ridiculous in comparison."

"What are you going to do if she doesn't allow you to see Lilliana?"

"Ashton said I could file an emergency petition for custody, saying she's keeping Lilliana from me. It will essentially give us a hearing. My attorney said it wouldn't make her look good."

"Is it a good thing if she keeps Lilliana?"

"I hope it doesn't come to that."

"It would be easier if she'd talk to you. I know it's hard, but this is for Lilliana. You both should want the best for her."

"It sucks all around. But I'm glad that you're on my side. It helps to talk to you about it. You remind me that I'm on the right track." Dalton pulled into the lot for Trader's.

"Stay put. I'll help you down."

Before I could argue, he was out of the cab and stalking around the hood. He opened my door and held his hand out to me. "I want to do this right."

My heart skipped a beat as I took his hand, and he helped me to my feet. Dalton was dressed up, and now that I was standing so close to him, he smelled good.

He kept hold of my hand as he closed the door and locked the truck. We held hands as we walked on the crushed seashell lot to the decking that doubled as a walkway to the front door.

Inside, I let him take the lead. He told the hostess that we were a party of two, and she directed us to a table by the window. There was a candle flickering between us.

The hostess handed us menus, then left.

I leaned across the table. "This feels very date like."

He winked at me. "That's the point."

"You're not having any reservations?" In other words, was he freaking out like I was? My heart was racing as I looked around at the other diners. I wasn't from the island, but Dalton's presence was notable.

I bet he hadn't taken a girl out since this whole thing with Oakley started. He wanted to be there for her, but then he was solely focused on Lilliana. His appearance with a woman wouldn't go unnoticed.

By tomorrow, the island would be buzzing with the news that another Kingston brother was off the market. It shouldn't affect me, but I was having all sorts of confusing feelings about it.

He looked at me over his menu. "Are you having second thoughts?"

"Maybe." I bit my lip. "I want to help, but I'm freaking out a little. What if people don't like me for you? What if they think I'm taking advantage of you like Oakley did?"

He lowered his menu to the table and reached across to cover my hand with his. "I want to be here with you, and there's no way anyone could think you're taking advantage of me. Remember the whole out of my league thing?"

I rolled my eyes. "Dalton, you and your brothers were named the most eligible bachelors on the island. You were wrapped up in Oakley for a long time, and now you're suddenly seen out with me. What will people think?"

"That I'm lucky to be here with you."

My face heated at his compliment. "That's a nice thing to say."

He chuckled as he slipped his hand from mine. "It's the truth."

I let the warmth of his words curl around my heart as I attempted to read the menu.

A few seconds later, he asked, "What are you getting?"

I glanced up with a guilty expression. "I haven't decided."

"I'm getting the rockfish," he said putting his menu away.

I forced myself to scan the menu, finally settling on the seared scallops served with lobster ravioli.

We ordered and handed our menus to the waitress.

"You'll have to let me try yours."

That seemed intimate. Something a boyfriend would do. Is this how Dalton was with women, or was he playing a part?

"How long did you date Oakley?"

He sighed and looked away. "A year. She wasn't crazy when I first met her.

I thought she was a sweet girl, and after a few months, she started showing some signs of jealousy.

She wanted to know where I was at all times.

She didn't like me going out with my brothers.

It was a gradual thing, so I didn't notice it right away. "

It was my turn to cover his hand with mine.

"As time went on, she demanded more of my time and attention. I wanted to see my family for Sunday dinner. I wanted to go out with my brothers."

"What did you do?"

"Eventually, I went, and she would call to yell at me. And you know the rest. When I decided to break things off, she announced she was pregnant."

"Do you think she did it on purpose?" I asked him. "She could feel you pulling away and wanted a surefire way to keep you close?"

He grimaced. "I have no way of knowing. We used condoms the entire time.

She'd said she wasn't on birth control. She couldn't remember to take pills, and the one time she got an IUD, it was so painful she had it removed.

It's possible the condom failed. I don't think it matters at this point.

Our relationship is over, and I could never regret Lilliana. "

"Of course not. I was just curious." It made a difference to me. How conniving was Oakley? How far would she take the court case? Would she fight him, or would she eventually be reasonable?

He tipped his head to the side. "What about you? Who was your last boyfriend?"

I pulled back and settled my hands in my lap. "I dated Tate all through college. Then we went to graduate schools across the country from each other, and we decided not to do long distance."

"Was that an easy decision?" Dalton asked.

"You know, it was surprisingly easy. We enjoyed our relationship but didn't have the will to continue it with that kind of distance between us. Neither of us wanted to sacrifice our time flying back and forth across the country to see each other. School was more important."

"You didn't love him then," Dalton said matter-of-factly.

"We said we loved each other. Looking back, I can see it was a good relationship, but one that didn't have a future. Neither one of us felt the need to fight for it. Then again, we were young and had other priorities. I wasn't looking to settle down, and neither was he."

"You didn't date anyone in grad school?"

It felt good to talk about myself like this with a man.

I hadn't been on a date in so long, I'd expected to feel nervous, but now I felt more at ease.

I suspected it had something to do with Dalton.

"I wanted to focus on school, and I wasn't interested in anyone in my classes.

Then I started my doctorate program, and I've been wondering if I should continue with it. "

"Do you need an extra certification to be an art therapist?"

"I'd need to take more art courses at the master's level.”

"Is that something you're thinking of doing?"

"I don't like the idea of going backward. I already have a master's degree in child psychology."

"Do you need all of that to teach art to kids without the therapy component?"

"I don’t think so." But my parents would not be happy.